He swallowed hard. “That’s...good. I’m glad.”
Her smile widened a fraction. “I thought maybe, while we wait for the doctor...you could teach me to play chess? I’ve always wanted to learn.”
He stared at her, uncomprehending. How could she think of games at a time like this? When she’d nearly...when they’d almost...
But her eyes were earnest, hopeful. Clinging to normalcy in the midst of upheaval. He couldn’t deny her. “I’ll get the board.”
He fetched the chessboard from its shelf and arranged the pieces, his hands needing the simple task to keep from shaking. As he explained the basic rules and moved the pieces to demonstrate, Mandie leaned forward, her brow furrowed in concentration.
The intellectual challenge seemed to bring color back to her cheeks, and the distraction helped him too, though part of him remained coiled tight with worry.
They played in near silence, the clack of pieces against the board the only sound besides the ticking of the mantel clock. She picked up the strategy quickly, her moves growing bolder and more calculated with each turn. Enoch had to focus to stay a step ahead of her.
Darkness had nearly settled by the time hoofbeats sounded outside.
He leapt to his feet, his heart pounding as he strode to the entryway and pulled open the door.
Robert swung down from his saddle, the doctor right behind him.
Enoch stepped aside to let them in, his pulse thundering in his ears. “She’s resting on the sofa.”
The doctor nodded, moving past him into the house with brisk efficiency. “I’ll need to examine her privately.”
Inside, Mandie had already stood. “Doctor Hansen. Thank you for coming.”
The older man smiled. “Of course, my dear. Now, let’s have a look at you, shall we?”
Robert clapped a hand on Enoch’s shoulder as the two disappeared down the hallway. “She’ll be all right, Enoch. You got her back safe.”
Enoch shrugged off the touch, pacing to the window. He stared out at the darkening landscape without really seeing it, his mind a chaotic whirl.
Mandie’s soft voice drifted from the other room, answered by the doctor’s lower rumble.
Enoch strained to make out the words, but couldn’t discern anything intelligible.
The minutes crawled by, each one an eternity. Robert went outside to tend to the stock, and Enoch moved back to pacing the length of the room. Would the doctor come out and say she’d lost the baby?God, don’t let her lose the baby.
After what felt like hours, the doctor’s boots sounded in the hallway. Enoch spun to face it, his heart in his throat.
The doctor emerged first, his expression unreadable. Mandie followed a step behind, and the moment Enoch saw her face, the coiled tension in his chest eased.
She was smiling. Tired and pale, but smiling.
The doctor turned to him. “Mrs. Beaumont and the baby both appear to be in good health. No signs of lasting injury from the fall.”
Relief crashed through Enoch, so intense it left him light-headed. He braced a hand against the wall so his knees didn’t give way. “Thank God.”
Mandie moved to his side, her hand resting on his arm. “I told you we were all right.” Her voice was gentle, but held a note of admonishment.
He turned to her, drinking in the sight of her whole and well. The urge to pull her into his arms, to hold her close and never let go, surged through him. But he tamped it down, his jaw clenching with the effort. “You should rest.” His voice came out nearly a growl.
Her smile faltered a fraction, but she nodded. “I will. But Enoch, please don’t worry so.”
While fear still clawed at his insides, sharp and relentless, he managed a tight nod. “I’ll see the doctor out.”
Enoch turned to the man. “Thank you for coming. For checking on her.” He managed to keep his voice level, but inside, his emotions churned like storm-tossed waves.
The older man clapped him on the shoulder. “She’ll be just fine, son. A few days of rest and she’ll be good as new.”
